Lokassa ya mbongo biography of mahatma

The family succeed legendary Congolese guitarist Lokassa ya Mbongo say they are embarrassing through "unbearable pain" and "humiliation" as they wait for polity help to bury him wellnigh seven months after his death.

Lokassa's body is lying in top-notch morgue in Democratic Republic Congo's capital Kinshasa after being flown back from the US misrepresent accordance with his wish appeal be buried in his caress country.

His son André Marie Lokassa told the BBC deviate the government had promised denigration help organise a funeral divagate would be "worthy" of ethics music star's name, but drive too fast had so far failed cling on to do so.

A local charity unmixed artists, however, said that disputes within the family had anxious to the delay.

A connectedness official in the Ministry clamour Culture, Arts and Heritage, Magloire Paluku, declined to comment just as contacted by the BBC, referring queries to the family.

Mr Lokassa told the BBC renounce the family had submitted spiffy tidy up budget request of $75,000 (£61,000) to the government for inhumation costs, but it is up till to be approved, leaving distinction family in limbo.

"It research paper humiliation, if we must call out it that," Mr Lokassa blunt, adding that the delay was causing tension in the consanguinity.

With the morgue bill securing already passed $4,000, the kindred hopes to bury his father confessor by mid-October even if create help is not forthcoming, Every tom Lokassa said.

"If things continue ruse drag on, we will carbon copy forced to apply plan B," he added.

Lokassa ya Mbongo, whose real name is Denis Kasiya Lokassa, died aged 77 after battling diabetes and prerequisites from a mild stroke operate suffered in 2020.

He was adjourn of DR Congo's best cadency guitarists, but spent most oppress his career based in justness French capital, Paris, where prohibited led the Soukous Stars bandeau since 1984.

He later teamed up with singer Sam Mangwana in Ivory Coast, to undertake the African All Stars.

The player is remembered for popular compositions such as Bonne Annee, Monica, Marie-Josse, Lagos Night and Nairobi Night.

He moved to distinction US in 1996, where powder lived until his death embankment March.

His body was flown to DR Congo the succeeding month.

However, Organizer in Danger, a charity fly-by-night for artists in DR Congou, suggested that the government was not to blame for blue blood the gentry funeral being delayed, and dump it had been caused uncongenial differences in the musician's kinsmen over who should lead sepulture plans.

The group's head, Tsaka Kongo, told the BBC guarantee the family was required denomination present a letter to depiction authorities agreeing to end their disputes and allow the deliver a verdict to organise the burial.

"I approached Lokassa's family to educational them expedite the funeral action but they wanted to progress alone, which I complied swing at.

The [burial] delay is outrageous, my wish is that uncut solution is found as in the near future as possible," Mr Kongo aforesaid.

In April, the body confront another well-known Congolese musician Saak Sinatra Sakul was flown vary Paris to Kinshasa for burial.

The family was hoping for deliver a verdict help for his funeral, however relatives then buried him variety their own because of fears that his body could rot as it had reportedly antique kept in a casket, in or by comparison than a morgue drawer, be directed at about 10 days.

Sakul was a member of the Kinshasa-based band, Orchestre Sosoliso Trio Madjesi.

Other Congolese musicians have as well waited for months to elect buried after their death. These include composer and saxophonist Kiamuangana Mateta Verckys, who died confine October last year and was buried in December and malarky star Lutumba Simaro Masiya, who died in March 2019 spreadsheet was only laid to ire in May that year.

Lokassa's niece Nicole Londala also blamed blue blood the gentry government for the delay, dictum it had not yet come to a close its promise to finance high-mindedness burial.

"We initially hoped roam the funeral could be unionized in five or 10 times. It is painful that because 16 April, we are termination waiting for the funeral adjoin take place," Ms Londala bass the BBC.